Police officers killed in Egypt attack

By Hacer Baser

CAIRO (AA) - At least eight police officers were killed during protests in Egypt’s North Sinai Governorate, state media reported on Wednesday.

“A group of terrorists attacked a military checkpoint in northwestern Arish earlier Wednesday. An exchange of fire is taking place,” Middle East News Agency said.

The agency added that five "terrorists" and eight police officers were killed in a “terrorist attack".

Since February of last year, Egyptian security forces have been waging extensive operations against what they describe as “terrorist groups” based in Sinai and Egypt’s Western Desert.

The Sinai Peninsula has remained the epicenter of a militant insurgency since mid-2013, when Mohamed Morsi -- Egypt’s first freely-elected president -- was ousted in a military coup.

Egypt has remained beset by violence and turmoil since the army deposed Mohamed Morsi, the country's first freely elected president, in a 2013 coup.

* Erdogan Cagatay Zontur contributed to this story from Ankara